Let’s pause awhile, there’s nothing to celebrate… (To all my Sri Lankan Tamil Friends)

The election results in five states and a union territory are quite shocking in India, especially those of Tamil Nadu. Three sitting Chief Ministers – Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and West Bengal, who championed the cause of federalism in trying times - have lost their own constituencies, not because there was any palpable anger simmering against them! Let me refrain from commenting on a process so dubious for all to see. I assume, for a moment, the process is fine. Political parties vie for power, and it’s normal to lose. However, whom do people en masse choose? What has shocked, rather, is the kind of celebration among the young not only in Tamil Nadu but also in Sri Lanka. Having been in Sri Lanka and having become closely associated with students, I feel sorry to see the kind of celebration. Don’t we need to care about youth in Tamil Nadu? We have to. But for a long time, academic campuses across Tamil Nadu cultivated uncritical youth addicted to cinema. Every institute of higher learning stoops to shameless levels to rope in cinema actors for every programme in the hope of getting the spotlight and increasing admissions. Film stars have been the source of inspiration for a big chunk of youth in Tamil Nadu. Academia in Tamil Nadu is in a bad state, or even ruined, because of cinema. 
This was not the case in Sri Lanka, at least as far as I had observed. On the contrary, I found some impressive youth, like phoenixes ready to rise from the ashes of destruction to soar high. Now, I see the same youth, after having degrees or rather pursuing being blind to realities, worshipping actors in Tamil Nadu. How can a society that has suffered so much, seen horrible acts of violence, turn from realising their dreams, building their collective destiny, and plunge into the madness of worshipping an actor whose credentials are dubious? There is a lot to ponder here. The question is, who benefits from the absence of critical thinking?
Education is a political act. There is nothing called neutrality. Friends, there is nothing to celebrate here. It calls for a deep reflection. The current scenario holds a mirror to see the kind of future. The world today is beset with numerous challenges, starting from climate change, the rise of communalism, violence and inequality. What is at stake in solving most of these problems is the lack of political will. A society that is less discerning, blindly following someone for his appearance rather than what he has to offer, is bound to self-destruct. You have seen through so much of suffering. Don’t let your tears go to waste by running behind a man without vision, and much less don't go behind someone who is going to leave, once a land of intellectuals, into the hands of divisive forces that have been effectively stopped so far. There’s nothing to celebrate! A person without philosophy is no leader! 

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